COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Stice’s hard work paying off at Houston

Len Hayward | lhayward@mrt.com

Published 4:31 pm, Friday, January 3, 2014

Photo: Stephen Pinchback

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Houston fullback Luke Stice, left, runs the ball in game against Rice earlier this season. Stice, a Lee grad, walked-on at Houston in 2012, and has earned playing time on special teams and as the Cougars fullback this season. less

Houston fullback Luke Stice, left, runs the ball in game against Rice earlier this season. Stice, a Lee grad, walked-on at Houston in 2012, and has earned playing time on special teams and as the Cougars ... more

Photo: Stephen Pinchback

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Stice’s hard work paying off at Houston

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Luke Stice went to the University of Houston wanting to do whatever he could to get on the field.

He knew it would take plenty of work, and a little bit of luck because he wasn’t even a scholarship player when he arrived on the metropolitan Houston campus in the fall of 2012.

Now after two seasons, Stice has a become a key special teams player, and found a role on offense for the 8-4 Cougars as they get ready to take on Vanderbilt at noon today in the BBVA Compass Bowl in Birmingham, Ala.

“I was just hungry and determined to get on the field and I didn’t care how it happened,” Stice said Monday from Houston. “My second year here, I figured it’s going to look good on the resume to get on the field as soon as possible regardless of what position it was.”

Stice was a preferred walk-on at Houston as a linebacker in the fall of 2012 and was fully expecting to redshirt that season, but early in the season, things began to happen.

Stice wasn’t playing regularly on offense or defense, but his effort and work ethic had caught the eyes of the coaches while running scout team. He showed them so much that the coaches pulled the red shirt off of him just over a month into the season and was playing as a true freshman walk-on on special teams.

Wearing No. 37 in honor of his friend Jacob Power, who was killed in a car accident in the summer of 2012, Stice finished his first year with eight special teams tackles, and also knowing his effort was paying off.

“He made some plays on scout team, and we were looking for some guys on kickoff and sure enough he was the first one down, and he started making every play on the kickoff team, too,” Houston offensive coordinator Travis Bush said. “It’s just his work ethic and it’s just his effort that allows him to be successful. He’s not one of the better athletes on the field, but having coached him at the running back position, he’s one you tell exactly how to do something and he will do exactly what you say.”

Stice said wearing Power’s number was a big part of his motivation, plus he said he also likes to carry the banner for West Texas football and the work ethic he learned at Lee.

But he also said that he came into the program in great shape and was ready to go from that first day in 2012.

“I felt I came in better shape than a lot of the other freshmen guys did,” said Stice, who has recorded nine tackles this season. “I was really working out before I graduated, and by the time the fall came along I was flying around on special teams. Special teams is all about effort, and they look for those guys with high motors and put the team before themselves. When you are beating the first team on kickoff return, it’s kind of hard not to take notice.”

Stice, who is listed at 6-foot, 218 pounds but said he’s now around 230, has taken on a bigger role with the Cougars this year as a sophomore. Along with participating on both kickoff and punt teams, and both return squads, Stice has been seeing time as a fullback in the Cougars’ spread offense.

Obviously playing a fullback in the Cougars’ spread offense doesn’t lend itself to many plays, but Stice said when the team needs to play more physical he will go in there as a lead blocker. And in typical Stice style he’s not complaining.

“You will see me out there when we are running in between the tackles,” said Stice, who has caught one pass for 4 yards this season. “If we are facing a bigger but not as quick team, we’ll spread it out and I’m not as big of a factor.”

Bush said when Stice first moved over to fullback from linebacker, the first few days weren’t pretty, but Bush said he knew Stice had a chance to be successful. Now, Bush said that Stice is a player they trust when they use their heavy package for running.

And it’s that type of work ethic that helped him win the Committed Cougar Award this season for the team.

“When he first moved over he was horrible, and he was one of those guys that was out of control,” Bush said. “But he was able to pick it up because of his effort and coachability, and how much he cared. We saw the effort was there, the physicalness was there, and he wants to do it. That’s the hardest thing (to teach) and he wants to do it.”

Stice said this spring will be crucial for him on where he might end up playing a bigger role next season. He said he could play more offense, or maybe even some defense, while continuing to see plenty of time on special teams. But no matter the spot, Stice said he will continue to work like has been and it’s paid dividends so far.

“I look forward to getting more explosive and maybe having more of a role in the offense in the running or the passing game,” Stice said. “I see myself continuing to grow and be more explosive, and continuing to increase my role and help my team.”